• CNET News.com, Friday, February 9, 2007 11:05 AM

When Viacom told YouTube to take its content down last week, the media giant had a plan, of course. This week, CNET says, company reps have told insiders that Viacom will soon begin promoting the revamped ComedyCentral.com, which allows users to upload whatever "Daily Show," "Colbert Report" or "South Park" content they wish.

Experts call the new Viacom strategy a "workaround" to YouTube, because Viacom, like YouTube, will let users upload videos using embedded code to MySpace pages, blogs, personal Web sites, etc. By allowing users to upload clips wherever they wish, Viacom believes it can generate just as much publicity for its shows as it used to get from YouTube. The ComedyCentral.com move will almost certainly be followed by similar announcements from its other entertainment brands, like MTV, Spike TV and Nickelodeon.

Viacom says it isn't trying to compete with YouTube; nevertheless, CNET News.com, after interviewing company executives, says, "There's no question that relations between the two companies are chilly," especially after months of fruitless negotiations.

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